The House of Commons will today (24th October) announce that the European Union will stump up the money to be distributed across Peterborough and the surrounding area.

The millions will be used to fund green transport schemes, reduce road traffic, inspire environmentally conscious thinking in local businesses and promote recycling schemes.

Local MP Stewart Jackson welcomed the news, saying “Peterborough has been an Environment City for 14 years and has a very good recycling record and this is further good news, Our obligation to the planet and climate change is something all of us must address.

“I met people from Friends of the Earth and pledged to write to Tony Blair for a climate change bill to be made in the Queen’s speech. I’m pleased that it has been taken up.”

Peterborough has long been a city with environmental thinking at the core of its development, receiving European funding for various schemes for the past seven years.

Council leader John Peach explained some of the planned developments in Peterborough, stressing that any schemes would be carefully thought out.

“We have to be careful about the design and layout of new housing estates. If homes are too far away from services it will increase the number of car journeys and carbon emissions,” he said.

“We will talk to developers and encourage sustainable design and the use of sustainable resources, such as geothermal energy for heating.”